1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus for producing hydroelectric power with the use of a hydroelectric turbine generator and more particularly to a new and improved apparatus that utilizes the physics of buoyancy and gravity to pressurize water to produce power.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of technology to move water to produce electric energy, such as falling water flowing through a dam used to turn a turbine propeller, which turns a shaft in a generator which, in turn, produces electric power, is well known in the prior art. Prior art systems in this area include, for example, the following: U.S. Pat. App. No. 2008/0265581A1 (Welch, et al., publication date Oct. 3, 2008), which teaches the use of a system of buoyancy pump devices driven by waves and currents to produce electricity. One embodiment converts wave motion into mechanical power, while another generates electricity from a turbine as a function of wave energy; U.S. Pat. App. No. 2006/0064975 A1 (Takeuchi, published Mar. 30, 2006), which teaches the introduction of continuous bubbled gas moving through a liquid to force a conveyor fitted with numerous bucket-like devices to rotate which in turn causes a power generating turbine to rotate; U.S. Pat. App. No. 2006/0267346A1 (Chen, published Nov. 3, 2006), which teaches the use of a water tower that accumulates water at the top through the application of buoyancy and the use of transmission rods to force the water up whereupon, guided by the principles of gravity, water cascades down a pipe to drive a turbine to produce the electric power; U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,253 B1 (Scharfenberg, issued Aug. 3, 2004), which teaches a turbine power plant using buoyant force in the form of air propelled against a series of vanes coupled to a shaft connected to a turbine; U.S. Pat. App. No. 2010/01720242 A1 (Irps, published Jul. 8, 2010), which teaches springs as an energy storage device connected to buoys driven up and down inside water-filled containers as a result of buoyance and gravitational forces exerted via a working stroke to produce mechanical energy to generate power; U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,976 (Kim, et al., issued Jan. 26, 1988), which teaches a method and apparatus for generating power comprising float members disposed inside respective cylinders and a series of lever arms pivotably disposed above the cylinders connected to the float members whereby water introduced and discharged into and from the cylinders causes the floats to rise and fall causing, in turn, the lever arms to pivot on their axes resulting in the conversion of rotational motion to rectilinear motion, or vice versa, to operate power generators or turbines; U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,232 (Willmouth, issued Jan. 12, 1998), which teaches an apparatus that drives an electrical power generator from a combination of buoyance and gravitational forces comprising a long chain having a series of attached float members extending around a sprocket with the float members immersed in liquid as they rise driven by the force of buoyance and passing through airspace as they fall pulled down by the force of gravity; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,281 (Kim, et al., issued Jun. 23, 1987), which teaches an apparatus for generating power comprising two cylinders and a float member within each cylinder and rotating lever arms attached to the float members at one end to a crank connected to a shaft at the other end whereby the introduction of fluid and air into the first cylinder and its float member, respectively, and simultaneously, the discharge of fluid and air from the second cylinder and its float member, respectively, cause the float members to rise and fall accordingly and, in turn, the lever arms to move up and down and the crank to rotate about the crank shaft.
The improved buoyancy power generating apparatus of the present invention comprises at least two vertically oriented tubes filled with liquid, preferably water, with one end of each tube having an inward tapered portion through which passes highly pressurized water. A float device, which has a diameter slightly less than the interior diameter of the tube and a conical-shaped bottom, is disposed inside each tube, with each float device capable of holding both gaseous and liquid material. Also included is the means for alternatively introducing and releasing gas and liquid to and from the float devices to cause one float to rise and fall within one tube, and a conical-shaped bottom, and simultaneously the other float to fall and rise within the other tube such that, when gas is introduced into one float, that float begins to rise within its tube, steadily increasing the water pressure ahead of it in the tube as the float ascends with the water reaching near or at its maximum pressure as it is forced through the tapered portion or nozzle formed at the top end of the tube. As the float filled with gas begins moving upwards within its tube, the float in a second tube, which begins its sequence at the top, is filled with liquid, typically water, causes it to sink to the bottom of the tube. The pressurized water moving through the nozzle and the line leading to the turbine eventually causes the turbine blades and, thus, the turbine to rotate. This, in turn, causes the generator shaft to rotate, which ultimately produces the electric power.
Nothing in the prior art, including the cited references above, includes an apparatus with the combination of structural elements and relationship of components, and the specific means and objectives as the improved apparatus of the present invention.